How to use it
- Drop your PDF here; its current metadata appears in the form.
- Edit any field, or clear it to remove it.
- Optionally remove the embedded XMP metadata packet.
- Click Save metadata, or Remove all metadata.
What PDF metadata is
Besides its pages, a PDF carries a set of document properties. You can usually see them under File → Properties in a PDF reader:
| Field | Typical content |
|---|---|
| Title | Shown in the browser tab and in search results instead of the file name |
| Author | Often the name of the computer's user account |
| Subject | A short description |
| Keywords | Terms used by search tools and document systems |
| Creator (app) | The program the document was written in |
| PDF producer | The software that created the PDF |
| Created / Modified | Dates and times |
Many PDFs also contain an XMP packet, a block of XML metadata that can duplicate these fields and add more, such as editing history identifiers.
Why edit or remove it
- Privacy. The Author field often reveals your full name or a coworker's, and the Creator field shows which software and sometimes which version you use. Clear them before sending a PDF to clients, publishing it online, or submitting anonymous work.
- Professional presentation. A PDF titled Microsoft Word – Draft3_final_FINAL.docx in a browser tab looks careless. Set a clean title such as 2026 Annual Report.
- Search and SEO. Search engines and document management systems use the Title, Subject and Keywords of PDFs.
- Records management. Correct author and dates help when documents are archived or audited.
How editing works
When you open a PDF, its current values are loaded into the form. Change the fields you want; fields you do not touch are left exactly as they were. Clearing a field removes it from the file. Dates use your device's local time.
If the file has an XMP packet, an option to remove it is turned on by default. Without that, some apps would keep showing the old values from the XMP data even after you change the regular fields.
Remove all metadata deletes every document property and the XMP packet in one step. The saved file does not add a new producer or date of its own.
Important notes
- Digitally signed PDFs: any change, including metadata, invalidates a certificate-based signature. Edit metadata before signing, not after.
- Metadata is not the only hidden information. Comments, form field values, attachments, hidden layers and text under images can also contain personal details. To remove sensitive content from the pages themselves, use Redact PDF.
- Image metadata. Photos embedded in a PDF may carry their own EXIF data. Flattening pages to images with PDF to black and white or Strong mode in Compress PDF removes it.
Private processing
The PDF is read and saved in your browser and never uploaded, so checking a confidential document's metadata does not expose the document itself. Your original file is not modified; you download a new copy with -metadata added to the name.
A worked example
Before publishing a white paper on your website, you open the PDF here and see Author: jsmith, Title: Microsoft Word - WP_v7.docx and a Creator field naming the word processor. Set the title to Choosing a Heat Pump: A Buyer's Guide, replace the author with your company name, add a few keywords, and keep Also remove the embedded XMP metadata packet ticked. Click Save metadata. Browser tabs and search results now show the proper title.
Frequently asked questions
How do I change the author of a PDF?
Open the PDF here, type the new name into Author, and click Save metadata.
How do I remove all metadata from a PDF?
Click Remove all metadata. Every document property and the XMP packet are deleted.
What is XMP metadata?
An XML block inside the PDF that can duplicate and extend the standard properties. Remove it so old values don't linger.
Will editing metadata change the pages?
No. Only the document properties change; page content is untouched.
Is my PDF uploaded?
No. Metadata is edited in your browser.
Last updated: November 12, 2026